The holidays can be a wonderful time of year. Finding the perfect tree, decorating the house, warm sweaters and hot coco, tree lighting ceremonies and parades in town, sleigh rides, and gift wrapping should all be fun, family activities you get to enjoy with your loved ones. BUT…the holidays can also be months of over-commitments, stressful traveling on snow covered roads, frantic last minute shopping, getting the kids to all 50 family holiday parties, and the busiest time of year for you at your actual job.

We are here to give you a little advice on ways to handle the stress and keep your family healthy through the New Year!

Did you know that emotional stress is linked to colds and the flu as well as chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease and depression? As chiropractors, we know that reducing stress helps boost health and wellness. We want to help you prevent these lifestyle diseases by helping you implement a chiropractic lifestyle for your family. This way of life centers on respecting the connection between body, mind, and spirit.

Pay attention to early signs of stress. Things like irritability, fatigue, inability to relax or sleep through the night, loss of appetite, irritable bowel, or feeling overwhelmed should not be considered “normal” during the holidays.

#1 the first and most important thing you can do before entering the holiday time warp is to make an appointment with your chiropractor. Getting your spine and nervous system ASAP! Research shows that chiropractic care reduces stress and enhances immune function. Chiropractic adjustments eliminate spinal dysfunction associated with stress on the body.

#2 Eat Healthy!! I know crazy right? Eating a diet low in sugar and unhealthy fats is a fantastic way to keep stress to a minimum. Pack a bag of healthy fruits and veggies to snack on during your busy days. We often get busy and either forget to eat altogether, or we run through a drive through and end up eating something terrible that shouldn’t be called food.

When you are at a holiday event, stick with the 3 bite rule I gave you in a previous blog. Don’t be afraid to sample something that might not be the healthiest, just limit your portion to 3 bites. Then move on to the healthy turkey, sweet potatoes, and green beans (no casserole just veggies). Limit your desserts by making fruit trays or kabobs instead. Natural sugar is much easier for your body to work with than processed, bleached, white baking sugar. Drink plenty of water, limit your alcohol consumption and eat a lot of vegetables before and after a holiday party!    

#3 Exercise-You should be doing this 3-5 times a week already but keep that routine going through the holidays. Exercise is a proven stress-busting activity. Aerobic exercise literally reduces the production and effects of key stress hormones such as cortisol. Try fun, creative ways to exercise this winter. Make the outdoors fun even in the cold! Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hiking/snowshoeing, walking your neighborhood to see all the house lit up, build a snowman with your kids, or have a snowball fight! All these activities get your heart rate up and your body moving! And trust me, they are much more fun than spending 30 minutes on a treadmill or elliptical in a gym.

#4 Pick a budget for Christmas shopping and stick to it! Eliminating the financial stress of the holidays can help you enjoy it so much better. Our family introduced a gift exchange for the adults. That way we aren’t spending a ton of money on Christmas. We still purchase gifts for the kids but only have to bring one gift as an adult. Saves money, time shopping, wrapping, and makes trying to find that perfect gift a whole lot easier!! Another option is instead of exchanging gifts, go do something fun together instead. Christmas is about the memories you make with your loved ones (not the slippers you got last Christmas that your dog ate a month later!) 

#5 Make things easy for you and your family. Every get together doesn’t have to consist of a 7 course dinner. Maybe have an appetizer night instead of a full meal. It will help keep food costs down and you can sample more options! (easy way to sneak in some healthy options too) Other things you can do to simplify meals is to prepare food in advance, that way the day of you just have to pop it in the oven and can spend your time getting ready or doing last minute cleaning!

#6 Start Early-Every year I say I will have my shopping done early so I’m not scrambling on Christmas Eve for last minute gifts! This was the first year I actually did and let me tell ya, I am so relieved! We did all of our shopping before Thanksgiving and avoided the holiday lines. There were still plenty of sales going on to save money, and the feeling of being done made the extra pennies worth it. Everything is wrapped and stored away until we need it! It’s not too late to start either! Go this weekend and get your shopping done! Shop local when you can! Help a local business and save travel time! Win Win!

#7 Organize your life! Make lists and check things off as you get them done. Shopping lists for gifts or groceries make life so much easier and prevent extra trips to the store. If you are traveling for the holidays, make sure you have a list of things you need to pack far in advance to avoid stress. If possible, load your car up a day early. Plan for holiday traffic on the roads, and just relax and enjoy some Christmas tunes if you are stuck on the highway! Pack some snacks and activities to keep your kids amused during the trip, or leave in the middle of the night so they sleep the whole way thereJ

#8 Be thankful for what you have. Thanksgiving has come and gone, but stay thankful every day for the amazing things in your life. Whether it’s your family, home, food, or a great job, everyone has things to be thankful for in their lives, and there is no better time to reflect on it that now. The holiday season only comes once a year, enjoy it! Have fun wrapping gifts and start new traditions to keep things interesting. The elf on the shelf is a great family activity that is taking over this holiday season! Stay positive for your health and your family. If you do get a little stressed, take 5-10 minutes alone to decompress and think about all the things you love in life.

#9 Be flexible-Don’t have unrealistic expectations for the holidays. Plans will change and bad weather will happen. We cannot control every aspect of December so stop trying! We cut back on how many holiday events we commit to in order to actually enjoy the ones we make. Families get bigger each year and trying to make it everywhere in such a short amount of time isn’t realistic. Commit to a few events, and make up for missing others at another time.

#10 TAKE A BREAK! Time outs are needed to keep yourself healthy and sane during this time of year. Do things you enjoy. Slow down the crazy train and just sit down in front of a fire and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. Focus on your breathing and let your overworked and overtired muscles relax! Treat yourself to a massage, a good book, or dinner with a loved one.

I have boycotted the holiday season for years because I was always too stressed to enjoy it. This year, we made a few easy changes, and I know it is going to be the best Christmas yet. We are focusing more on time spent with loved ones than worrying about spending money on lots gifts we don’t even need.

Dr. Seuss has had it right for years.

“Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more.”